A Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) was signed on 22 May 2013 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

This new MoU builds on the strong cooperation developed by the three organizations between 2007 and 2012 under a previous tripartite MoU.

Commenting on the signature, which took place on the occasion of the Astana Economic Forum 2013, UNECE Executive Secretary Sven Alkalaj said: “This MoU represents a renewed commitment for cooperation between our organizations in support of the region and our member States. UNECE will be looking forward to putting it into action in the coming months and years”.



Note to editors

Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC)
The Treaty on the Establishment of the Eurasian Economic Community, signed by the presidents of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan in October 2000. In May 2002 the Republics of Moldova and Ukraine were granted observer status at the EurAsEC, and in April 2003 the same status was granted to the Republic of Armenia. Incorporated as an international legal body, in 2003 EurAsEC was granted observer status in the United Nations General Assembly.

Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA)
The United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) was launched in 1998 to strengthen subregional cooperation in Central Asia and its integration into the world economy. The member countries of SPECA are Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) jointly provide overall support to the activities under this programme.